The Best of Charlotte

We're re-branding Small Business Journeys as The Best of Charlotte podcast! A new launch will happen in the coming weeks, with new episodes and interviews with more of the best small businesses in the Charlotte area. More updates soon! ~Jeff This podcast is dedicated to sharing the stories of successful small business owners and entrepreneurs. The goal of this podcast is to provide practical information and hopefully a lot of inspiration for those who aspire to become their own boss, and for existing small business owners. My guests will range from highly successful freelancers to multi-enterprise entrepreneurs who will share their inspirations, strategies, tactics, insights, and the challenges of starting and growing a successful small business. Most interviews are conducted in-person with small business owners near my hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina. However, occasionally I'll venture to other cities to meet with successful small business owners who are making a big impact in their area. I'll work hard to bring you great content, and I hope you'll enjoy this podcast!

077: Dexit - Digital Assets and Estate Planning with Natalia Parker & Tatyana Thurston

Natalia Parker and Tatyana Thurston are the founders of Dexit, and they join the podcast in this episode to share details about their work.Dexit is a B2B SaaS company that assists estate planning professionals in incorporating clients' digital assets and online accounts into their estate plans. They provide a Digital Asset Disclosure Report, offering a comprehensive inventory of a client's digital assets, directives, and necessary information for account administration. This service ensu...

12-04
35:22

076: Dr. Shaurice Mullins - Shifting the Trajectory of Your Life

Dr. Shaurice Mullins is a dynamic entrepreneur, speaker, and best-selling author with a powerful journey from humble beginnings to owning a multi-million dollar business. She has spent over 25 years guiding spiritual entrepreneurs and individuals on their spiritual awakening journeys, focusing on helping them connect with their intuition and achieve inner peace and self-love. Dr. Mullins brings expertise as a Personal Recovery Subject Matter Expert, Change Integrator, and founder of...

11-05
34:45

075: Isabel Baker - Founder & CEO of Pure Commercial Cleaning Charlotte

Isabel Baker is the founder and CEO of Pure Commercial Cleaning.Pure Commercial Cleaning, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, specializes in high-quality janitorial services tailored to meet the needs of a wide variety of industries. Their offerings go beyond routine cleaning, with a portfolio that includes everything from car dealerships to educational centers, banks, religious institutions, and healthcare facilities. Known for their flexible service models, they provide both daily and ...

10-28
25:55

074: Washroom Laundry of Charlotte, NC - Meet Saichelle McNeill

Saichelle McNeill is the founder and CEO of Washroom Laundry. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Washroom Laundry serves the entire Charlotte metro area including surrounding suburbs.In this podcast episode, Saichelle shares the story of her entrepreneurial journey and the inspiration behind her company.During our conversation, Saichelle offers some great advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. She also gives some great shoutouts to local organizations that have helped her grow and scale her awes...

08-08
48:41

073: Charlotte Painting Professionals - Meet Ryan Parr

Ryan Parr is the founder and CEO of Charlotte Painting Professionals. Ryan, a Charlotte native, began his entrepreneurial journey in Nashville, Tennessee. There he founded Nashville Painting Professionals, a local service company that took off like a rocketship.The success of Charlotte & Nashville Painting Professionals is no doubt due to Ryan’s hard work, determination, and wherewithal to lean on talented mentors.In this conversation, Ryan shares the story of his entrepreneurial journey....

07-11
46:28

072: Celebrating BRIDE Magazine with Robert Burns II Photography & Videography

Reposted from The Best of LKN podcast with permission:Robert Burns II is a highly acclaimed wedding & event photographer based in Charlotte, North Carolina.In this episode, Robert joins the podcast to share details about his journey in professional wedding photography. He also shares some great advice for couples planning their big day.Robert also shares the exciting announcement of his new publication: BRIDE Magazine! This E-zine was thoughtfully created for future brides and planning co...

06-07
47:23

071: UrbanPromise Charlotte - Meet Executive Director Jimmy McQuilkin

Reposted with permission from The Best of LKN Podcast:Joining me for this podcast episode is the founder and executive director of UrbanPromise Charlotte, Jimmy McQuilkin.UrbanPromise Charlotte is an organization that’s on a mission to provide Charlotte’s children and youth with the spiritual, academic, and social development necessary to become Christian leaders determined to restore their communities.During our conversation, Jimmy shares the inspiration behind founding UrbanPromise Charlott...

05-14
32:46

070: Mandy Idol - Founder of Indigo Collective Group

Mandy Idol is the founder of Indigo Collective Group, a dynamic marketing agency that offers clients a strategic marketing approach to connecting with your target audience, building brand loyalty, and ultimately driving measurable results.In this conversation, Mandy shares the story behind her entrepreneurial journey and some excellent marketing tips for small business owners.Indigo Collective GroupProduced by Epic Journey MediaSupport the show

05-02
26:22

069: Kenzie Harkey - The Founder of Simply Dare Professional Organizing

Kenzie Harkey is the owner of Simply Dare - a professional organizing company serving the Charlotte and Atlanta Metro areas.Kenzie shares the story of her entrepreneurial journey and the inspiration for launching her award-winning professional organizing company.Simply DareSpecial mention:Furnish for Good CharlotteBooks & Podcasts:Profit First by Mike Michalowicz10X Is Easier Than 2X by Dan Sullivan and Ben HardyPromote Yourself to CEO PodcastProduced by Epic Journey MediaSponso...

04-25
34:53

068: Diamond M.I.N.E. Group - Social Media Marketing with Diamond Nurse

In this episode I chat with Diamond Nurse, the founder of Diamond M.I.N.E. Group.Diamond M.I.N.E Group is a powerhouse social media marketing agency that helps their clients grow their brand awareness on all social media platforms.Diamond shares the inspiration for launching her own agency several years ago, and the bespoke services she and her team provides their clients.Later in our conversation, Diamond shares some super valuable tips for business owners that might be struggling with socia...

04-19
41:22

067: Michael Tolbert - The Founder of LMTLivit

In this episode I chat with Michael Tolbert, the founder of LMTLivit.LMTLivit is a company on a mission to improve universal culture and human connection across the globe. Michael shares his inspiration for founding LMTLivit, and the ambitious vision he has for this forward-thinking brand. LMTLivitSpecial thanks to Indigo Collective GroupSupport the show

04-02
28:54

066: Noah Williams - A Journey in Content Marketing and Instagram Success

In this episode, Noah Williams shares the story behind his journey as a digital content creator and marketer. Noah lives and works in Charlotte and has curated one of the most successful Instagram brands ever launched in the Queen City.During our conversation, Noah shares the inspiration for launching @noahwilliamsstyle, and the ways in which his style blog has evolved over the years.Noah is kind enough to share quite a few valuable tips and insights with me, including strategies for success ...

02-08
42:21

065: Alyssa Moss - Creating Content and Growing Businesses with Moss Media

In this episode, I sit down with Alyssa Moss, the owner of Moss Media and Moss Videography. Alyssa is a prolific digital content creator and quite the serial entrepreneur, and she shares with us some really great advice for creating engaging content for our small businesses.Stay tuned for the other side of this conversation where I’ll share some important links for you, as well as some updates about The Best of LKN, our Lake Norman podcast, and email newsletter.Thanks for following The Best o...

01-11
47:12

064: Learning From the Future with Robert Johnson - President, RP3 Strategies

In this episode, I sit down with the President of RP3 Strategies, Bob Johnson. Bob is a highly sought-after speaker and business consultant whose career spans 30+ years of working with corporations, high-performing teams, and non-profit organizations.During our conversation, Bob shares the mission behind RP3 Strategies and how he’s helping organizations forge deeper connections within and throughout their sphere. He shares how he and the team are catalyzing social connectedness and identifyin...

11-21
37:27

063: Cristina Wilson - The Founder of Mood House

In this episode, I sit down with the founder of Mood House, Cristina Wilson.Mood House is Charlotte’s home for a stress-melting massage. Cristina founded Mood House after an exhaustive search for a quick and easy, but high-quality local massage turned up little to no choices.During our conversation, Cristina shared the story of her entrepreneurial journey and the enormous challenges she faced when opening Mood House right in the middle of a global pandemic.She also offers some excellent advic...

11-02
38:11

062: Dilworth Tasting Room - Meet Jaffer Kovic

In this episode, I sit down with the founder of Dilworth Tasting Room, Jaffer Kovic.This is a very interesting conversation that I think you’re going to love. Jaffer shares the story of his journey in the hospitality industry, and specifically his love affair with wine. I just sat back and listened in amazement while Jaffer talked about his introduction to wine in college during a course taught by a charismatic local restaurant manager, of all things.From there, Jaffer shares the twists and t...

10-12
01:21:58

061: Manny Flores - The Founder of Que Onda and Que Fresa Restaurants

In this episode, Jeff sits down with Charlotte restaurateur Manny Flores. Manny is the founder of the highly successful Que Onda and Que Fresa restaurant concepts. During this conversation, Many shares the story of his entrepreneurial journey and the inspiration behind his popular restaurants.He also shares some exciting news about some new locations and even hints at the possibility of future expansion. Listeners of this podcast who are thinking of launching their own businesses will be very...

09-14
47:45

060: Stratagon - Meet Ryan Burkett and Alex Moore

In this episode, I sit down with the founders of Stratagon, Ryan Burkett and Alex Moore.Stratagon is a strategic marketing & sales agency that builds customer-centric campaigns to power revenue growth. Founded in 2005, Stratagon is passionate about helping companies find resourceful solutions for tough business problems.Ryan and Alex share the story of their entrepreneurial journey and the inspiration behind their marketing firm. We also spend some time discussing trends in emerging techn...

08-10
41:15

059: Christi Busch - For the Love of Dutch

In this episode, I sit down with Christi Busch, the founder of For the Love of Dutch. During our conversation, Christi shares the story and inspiration behind her holistic dog food company.For the Love of Dutch prepares fresh-cooked meals (and treats) for your dog that are human-grade and vet-recommended. It’s handcrafted, ready-to-serve food that’s made with fresh, seasonal produce and sustainably sourced meat from local Carolina farms. The food is delivered fresh to your door.In addition to...

08-03
29:08

058: Stephanie Calderon Interiors - Meet Stephanie Calderon

Sponsored by DiscoverLKN.com - Make your move to Lake Norman!In this episode, I sit down with Stephanie Calderon, the principal at Stephanie Calderon Interiors. During our conversation, Stephanie shares the story and inspiration behind her interior design business.This is another one of the great entrepreneurial stories that I love to share on this podcast. In addition to all the details behind her beautiful business, Stephanie also shares some great advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, she giv...

07-25
28:14

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